Firearms
January 4, 2013
On December 14, 2012, one individual — who apparently obtained by force several semi-automatic firearms from a family member — shot and killed 26 innocent victims at the Sandy Hook School in Newtown, CT.
The firearms included one rifle – the controversial .223 caliber Bushmaster AR-15 — which by several definitions has been categorized as an assault weapon.
The other semi-automatic weapons were hand guns – one was a 10 mm Glock which can accommodate a 15 round magazine. The other was a Sig Sauer 9 mm, which can accommodate a maximum capacity of 20 bullets.
Following this tragic event, a nearby regional newspaper – The Journal News — filed a freedom of information act (FOIA) request with Westchester, Rockland and Putnam counties in NYS seeking the names and addresses of pistol permit holders in these counties.
By New York State law, the name and address of individual permit holders licensed to own a handgun — a pistol or revolver – is public record.
Owners of ‘long guns’ — rifles or shotguns, which can be purchased without a permit — are not subject to public record disclosure in New York State.
Earlier today, I istened to a radio interview with NYS Senator Gregory Ball on the controversial ‘outing’ of the names and addresses of hand gun permit holders by The Journal News.
In the interview, Senator Ball was adamant in his opposition to releasing information (which is required under NYS law) based on his personal values and opinions.
Senator Ball has held elected office in New York State since 2007. Several times, he has taken an oath of office to “…support the constitution of the United States, and the constitution of the State of New York…”
The Journal News published names and addresses of hand gun permit holders from public record information obtained from Rockland and Westchester counties, which is both legal and appropriate in New York State.
Officials in Putnam County have refused to release the gun permit information to The Journal News.
Senator Ball has joined with other elected and appointed public officials in Putnam County to oppose the FOIA request from The Journal News.
Whether it is religiously or morally right or wrong, this FOIA request seems to follow the laws of the State of New York; thus is fully in compliance with the Constitution of the State of New York.
It is my belief that NYS Senator Gregory Ball has violated his oath of office and thus should be sanctioned and removed from public office and further subject to any civil or criminal penalties which are available and appropriate for elected officials in New York State who flagrantly and blatantly violate their oath of office.
Hopefully, there is a procedure in the NYS Constitution to sanction Senator Ball, and the appropriate officals will step in to rescue my fellow residents, voters and taxpayers in NYS from clearly unconstitutional behavior by our elected officials.
Mitt Romney & the Military
July 13, 2012
There seems to be an increasing interest in Gov. Romney around his expertise and general views on war and the military.
Preface my comments from one who has never served in the Armed Services and one who was adamantly opposed to the War in Vietnam:
As the Vietnam War raged in the 1960s, Mitt Romney received a deferment from the draft as a Mormon “minister of religion” for the duration of his missionary work in France, which lasted two and a half years.
Before and after his missionary deferment, Romney also received nearly three years of deferments for his academic studies. When his deferments ended and he became eligible for military service in 1970, he drew a high number in the annual lottery that determined which young men were drafted. His high number ensured he was not drafted into the military.
If Mitt Romney avoided service because he was against the Vietnam War, fine.
However, he says he wants a Hawkish foreign policy that will involve the lives of many young Americans. How about any of his 5 sons joining up for service? Not so far.
Mr. Romney has expressed appreciation for the country’s “volunteer army” and said “that’s the way we’re going to keep it. He explained his sons had made different career choices in life and had not chosen to serve in the military but he mentioned a niece whose husband he said had just been called up by the National Guard.
As many from my generation have pointed out: Mitt Romney is a Chicken Hawk and is not fit to be President. If elected, Mitt Romney would be a Coward in Chief President and he would cause irreparable damage to our country.
Class Action Law Suits
February 6, 2012
Class Action Lawsuits really frost my windshield.
In November 2011, Senior U.S. District Judge James King approved a $410 Million settlement against Bank of America in a class action suit which alleged that the bank overcharged debit card users for overdraft fees.
It all sounds good and just – those greedy blood sucking banks! — until you get to the news that the Judge set fees for the class counsel at about $123 Million.
That is 30% of the award.
Maybe the bank was bad, and it really needed to be punished and to refund some excessive fees that were charged to customers.
But, for this law firm to step in and take $123 Million off the top? What in the world did they do to earn $123 Million? And how does this help any consumers who may have been victimized?
I’ve been waiting for the news on who will be litigating against that law firm for Piracy and Pillage! Haven’t heard anything yet, but I’m sure one of the other Class Action Conquistadores will step forward soon?
I recently was the beneficiary personally from a class action suit against an insurance company for some transgression that I don’t think really happened. Pretty sure I didn’t get any monetary benefit, maybe a coupon for a 10% discount on future premiums?
I do recall that the class action law firm received a 7 figure payout — not in coupons, but in real dollars!
Who pays for that? We do.
Over the years, I’ve read about proposals in Congress around “Tort Reform”.
I’ve read that some of the spiraling costs in our health care industry are in large part related to fear of litigation.
The Congressional Budget Office recently found that reforming the medical malpractice insurance system, a.k.a. “med-mal reform” — a.k.a. ‘tort reform’ — could save $54 billion over 10 years.
Other estimates are higher.
David Kendall, a senior fellow with Third Way, an independent ‘think tank’ recently said, “We found that roughly, between $92 to $207 billion dollars per year can be saved from reducing defensive medicine.”
My call: We are missing some real opportunities to reform our legal system and to save huge amounts in our health care system due to a continuing battle between Red and Blue.
Yet, if we look back in history, we would find that the Civil War was decided long ago.
Isn’t it time for each and all of us to find ways to find common ground and work together for the common good?
Priorities, Bridges & Political Posturing
June 23, 2011
I am a resident, taxpayer and voter in Westchester County, NY.
I just learned that Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino has called on NY Governor Andrew Cuomo to make building a replacement bridge for the Tappan Zee a top priority.
The news release indicated that Astorino said, “The time has come to invest real political capital in getting the replacement bridge built. We can’t wait forever for a perfect solution.”
I find it very sad that our Westchester County Executive seems to be less than fully informed about highway and bridge issues.
Perhaps this is to be expected when there is no experience or knowledge requirement for elected officials. ‘Look pretty, speak eloquently, raise money, and the voters will vote you in!’
County Executive Astorino is a poster child for this.
My sense is, “The time has come to require a knowledge and experience test before anyone can run for elected office. We can no longer accept or tolerate elected officials who were put in office as puppets, or as the result of winning a ‘beauty contest’.”
Fact is, the Tappan Zee Bridge is part of I-87, the national highway system. While it is one of many connections between Westchester County and other parts of New York State, it hardly seems to be something that would be near the top of a priority list for the Westchester County Executive.
The Tappan Zee Bridge is operated and maintained by the New York State Thruway Authority —a Public Benefit Corporation created by the New York State Legislature to build, operate and maintain the Thruway System.
The Thruway Authority is responsible for a 570-mile system of highways crossing New York State, the longest toll highway system in the United States. Who can say with certainty that the Tappan Zee Bridge is more critical than the Grand Island Bridge, or the Champlain Bridge?
The Thruway Authority operates autonomously and if County Executive Astorino had done his homework, he would have been calling on the Chairman of the Thruway Authority to take action, not the Governor.
It seems that the County Executive of Westchester County could find dozens – maybe hundreds! – of more critical local issues to focus on.
If called upon, I am available to provide informed citizen input on critical local issues.
Please don’t be bashful, County Executive Astorino! I am one of your constituents. Use me! Challenge me!
Terrorism Right in Our Backyard
May 25, 2011
An article published in The Journal News, a Gannet newspaper serving the lower Hudson Valley, reported on an unfortunate incident involving Aron Rottenberg, who recently suffered third-degree burns to half his body.
As the story goes, Rottenberg had been ostracized by the Skver Hasidic sect that runs the Village of New Square because he did not worship at the community’s main synagogue, headed by Grand Rebbe David Twersky.
A letter distributed to the community in November 2010 by New Square’s leadership and rabbinical court warned that not worshipping at the main synagogue was a severe violation and that anyone in violation must be stopped from using the community’s facilities.
Sources reported that Rottenberg’s family had faced growing levels of intimidation in recent months, including broken windows in their home.
Protests outside the Rottenberg home calling on them to leave led to the family installing surveillance cameras.
On Sunday, May 22, Aron Rotteberg confronted a man carrying a rag soaked with flammable liquid behind his home on Truman Avenue and Rottenberg was severely burned during a confrontation.
Rottenberg is in serious condition at Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla but is expected to survive.
Meanwhile, as a country, we are spending Zillions of dollars and sacrificing thousands of our soldiers to death or permanent disability in Iraq and Afghanistan, and not more than 60 miles from Ground Zero, we have extreme religious fanatics engaged in early-stage ‘Hassidic Jihad’.
Today, they attack each other because of the PLACE where they worship.
Apparently, this is not even an issue of “what do you believe?” or “How do you live your life?”
What might happen tomorrow?
I’m concerned and angry, but not quite ready to fight personally.
Yet, our TAX DOLLARS are supporting this insane behavior: The fire district; The police; The district attorney; The public defender; The school district. Each of these entities is involved in this case, and it goes on and on.
I think it is inappropriate for the majority to be saddled with the costs of religious fanatics fighting over turf.
This really is no different from the Crips vs. Bloods, or any other iteration of gang behavior.
Best I can tell, this whole mess looks and smells like it has RICO implications.
Where is the US Attorney? The FBI?
If we are to support this circus with tax dollars, let’s get our money’s worth.
walrus51 